Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Celebration is almost over for the May 18 Commemorative Events. Still, there are few ongoing activities. It was a pleasure to have old and new faces and friends to join us here in Gwangju. For all the rest we hope to meet you some other time again. But for now let us meet online through 518 OURDATES (Update) to you.

1) Mr. Muneer Malik is the 2008 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights winner. You can read the text of his valedictory speech from this link:

2) We are now accepting application for the 2008 Gwangju Asian Human Rights Folk School. One of the perks of successful participants of the folk school is the chance to be endorsed for a year scholarship to MA in Inter-Asia NGO Studies of Sungkonghoe University. This year is the second year of the conduct of this scholarship. So apply now and find out more from this link:

3) We are updating and creating a directory of Asian NGOs that work on peace, human rights and democracy (we plan to make it available online as well). Please visit this link to submit the form and be linked with us.

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Irom Sharmila Video

Irom Sharmila is a young woman of Manipur who has been on a fast-to-death for nearly 7 years now. She has been demanding the removal of a brutal law from her land. Manipur is a north-east Indian state (bordering Myanmar), riven for decades by insurgency and armed separatist movements. The Government of India has attempted to control the situation militarily, granting drastic powers to the security forces. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act enforced in the region lets people be arrested, shot and even killed - on suspicion alone. But Sharmila is willing to stake everything -- even her life -- to restore justice and dignity to her people.

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Anecdote: Gwangju Prize for Human Rights

The contrast between Gwangju and Manipur experience is indeed striking! At a time when the people of Gwangju was breaking away from the shackles of an oppressive regime in 1980, Manipur was sliding down towards a nightmarish experiences in the shadows of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

By 2000, a certain stability was achieved in Korean democratization process and the spirit of democracy started spreading across Asia through the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. The same year in Manipur, having exhausted all judicial and international remedies available with the UN, Sharmila resorted to indefinite hunger-strike demanding the repeal of the draconian Act. Seven years later in 2007, the Foundation took notice of Sharmila's struggles and awarded her the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights.

From Manipur perspective, in awarding this prestigious prize to Sharmila, the International Community is not only taking notice of the relentless struggle of the people of Manipur for a dignified life but also extending a fraternal solidarity.